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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26423254">Darkness into Sparks</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/caedi/pseuds/caedi'>caedi</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Umbrella Academy (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ben Hargreeves Lives, Canon Rewrite, Fix-It, Gen, Season/Series 02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 02:53:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>17,475</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26423254</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/caedi/pseuds/caedi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Vanya watches in horror as Ben starts to disintegrate into blue lights. For the first time she wonders what would have happened if she'd been with her siblings on that terrible mission. Would Ben have died? She could saved him. She could have <i>saved him.</i></p><p>Vanya pulls Ben into a hug and draws on her power until those blue lights turn gold and says, "No."</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ben Hargreeves &amp; Klaus Hargreeves, Ben Hargreeves &amp; Vanya Hargreeves, Sissy Cooper/Vanya Hargreeves</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>154</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>511</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I'm working through all my season two grievances with fix-it fics and it feels so good. </p><p>This story is planned out and should be around 10 chapters long. It's gonna be a wild ride and I really hope you enjoy! I'm trying a schedule for this fic, so chapters will be posted every Saturday. </p><p>Oh, and the title is inspired by the song Gold Dust by Banners: "Silver linings like lightning flash in the dark, turn this darkness into sparks."</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Vanya stares at the gelatinous brain on her plate, fists clenched in her lap. The dining room is dark and barren, with one light shining directly above her. The only other person in the room is her father, who stares down the table at her with his cold, dead eyes. </p><p>Quickly, she glances at the painting of Sissy, Harlan and Carl on the wall, before looking back at her plate. "I - I don't want it," she says.</p><p> "I know you don't want it but you can't pretend it doesn't exist," her father says, walking down the length of the dining table towards her.</p><p>"I'm not pretending!" Vanya protests. Her heart beats faster as he approaches and she feels trapped. It reminds her of something - a memory just out of reach.</p><p>"Of course you are." Reginald Hargreeves lets out a judgemental snort, stopping next to her. "You choose to live in a fantasy, a land of make-up believe where you don't have to face up to who you really are."  </p><p>Is living in a fantasy really so bad, though? When she thinks of Sissy, Harlan, and her life on the farm it doesn't feel silly at all. It feels precious.</p><p>"You can't deny your true self any longer, even if you are afraid."</p><p>"I'm not afraid," Vanya says, looking up at him. What does he know? She's not afraid, not anymore. She just - she just doesn't want to lose what she's found.</p><p>"Then eat! One more bite and you can go."</p><p>Deep inside she knows she doesn't have a choice. Her father won't let her leave without doing what he says. One more bite and she can go back to the farm, back to Sissy and Harlan.</p><p>The brain wobbles as she cuts into it.</p><p>She brings the fork up to her lips and bites down and - </p><p>The light fixtures above the table rattle and flicker, as she chokes down the slimy mouthful and -</p><p>Vanya <i>screams</i>.</p><p>Memory returns to her all at once.</p><p>She remembers being locked in a cage, crying at her siblings. Knives flying through the air into Leonard’s body with a dull <i>thud</i>. Bright white power holding her brothers in the air and draining the life from them. Her power exploding out of her - out of control.</p><p>Vanya falls against the table. "I remember," she cries out, clutching at her head and - </p><p>She protects herself instinctively, and retreats - she retreats somewhere safe.</p><p>In the distance she can hear a violin playing Bach's 'Partita No. 2 in D Minor' and she can almost see the sheet music on the stand in front of her. It's the song she used to practice alone in her room when her siblings were away.</p><p>She remembers Allison saying, "I love you," before she cut a deep red line in her throat. Sitting in a bath with no recollection of how she got there and watching as the water bled red. Luther’s arms tightening around her until she can’t breathe she <i>can’t breathe</i>.</p><p>Vanya hides her face in her arms and curls up as small as she feels inside. Dad must have taken her siblings away on a mission again. She's the only living human in their big, empty house.</p><p>She’s alone.</p><p>She’s always been alone.</p><p>How had she forgotten that? </p><p>She remembers a burst of power and Pogo flying across the room. The way his body had sagged against the wall when he died. Their home collapsing into ruins behind her and not caring whether her siblings had made it out.</p><p>Vanya’s powers pulse around her, in time with the music. She doesn’t know when she started using them. She doesn’t know how to stop. </p><p>A few days ago she’d sat in front of her father and used her powers in a controlled burst of energy, but she's not that person anymore. Vanya can't control her powers. She destroyed their home. She killed Pogo. She almost killed Allison. She almost killed her brothers. She destroyed the world. </p><p>She destroyed the world.</p><p>She has no idea how long she's been curled up here, trying to keep herself safe. She has no idea how long she's been alone. She's always been alone.</p><p>The violin continues to play in the distance, but - slowly - slowly another sound stands out. A soft beat, like a drum that isn’t even trying to match the tempo of the song. </p><p>It sounds out of place. It sounds like slow, careful steps moving towards her, but that’s impossible because Vanya is alone. She’s always been alone.</p><p>The impossible sound gets closer and closer until it stops.</p><p>There's an almost comforting pause, where Vanya can finally just hear the music again, and then -</p><p>“Vanya?” A familiar voice whispers. A voice almost as impossible as the footsteps. "Do you remember me?"</p><p>It sounds - it sounds like Ben.</p><p>Vanya looks up, trembling.</p><p>It almost looks like Ben, too. The Ben in her memories is forever stuck at seventeen years old, but this Ben is older. He's crouched near her with the same hair, the same kind eyes, the same soft smile, but he’s grown into his jawline. She never thought she’d see him like this.</p><p>She remembers sitting with her favourite brothers on the rooftop, sharing sweet treats Five had stolen out of the pantry. Waiting on the staircase for her siblings to return safely from their missions until one day they return covered in blood and missing a brother.</p><p>And now he’s sitting here in front of her.</p><p>“I remember everything,” Vanya admits, sitting up against the column and all at once she realises it’s happening again. She's destroying the world. She gasps, trying to breathe through her sobs. “What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I control myself like the rest of you guys?”</p><p>Ben smiles at her sadly and stays close like when they were children. When any of them were upset, Ben would always stay with them until they felt better. </p><p>He was always the kindest of them. </p><p>“It’s not too late,” he says, softly and earnestly. “You can go back. There’s still time.”</p><p>Ben was always the kindest of them but sometimes he could be too kind. </p><p>Vanya trembles against the column and tries to make him understand that she doesn’t deserve his kindness right now. She doesn’t deserve to live. “I’m a monster.” </p><p>Ben considers her words for a second, before sliding closer so their knees are almost touching. “Dad treated you like a bomb before you ever were one,” he finally says. "He was so scared of your power, he never let you use it." </p><p>He speaks with such conviction that Vanya can almost see herself through his eyes. She can almost understand why she has more trouble controlling her powers compared to the rest of them. Dad never gave her a chance to learn how to control her powers. She's been on drugs for so long that she's never had to deal with her anger before.</p><p>"That's messed up, Vanya," Ben says. He touches her hand with no hesitation and she clings onto it like a lifeline. </p><p>The world is a terrible place, especially growing up with a father like Reginald Hargreeves. Her feelings are valid, she has a <i>right</i> to be feeling this way but at the end of it she  -</p><p>“You aren’t a monster,” Ben finishes. “You’re my sister.”</p><p>She’s not a monster. She’s his sister.</p><p>Vanya looks at Ben and she <i>believes</i> him. She remembers curling up with Ben on the giant armchairs in the library as they tried to get through their extra credit homework. She remembers he always helped her without a second thought. She remembers he always tried to make her laugh.</p><p>God, she missed him so much. </p><p>Ben smiles at her and her heart lightens. “You aren’t alone at the table anymore, Vanya.”</p><p>She smiles back at him, and her power settles in the air around them. It doesn’t seem so overwhelming anymore.  </p><p>Ben understands control. She remembers watching a particularly gruesome training session where Ben had lost control of the monsters and torn apart the training room. She remembers the relief on his face when she’d still met him in the library that evening. </p><p>"You're not scared of me?" He'd whispered, curling up small on the armchair.</p><p>"No. You're my brother," she'd replied matter-of-factly, pushing her long hair behind one ear. That was all there was to it.</p><p>It’s a relief, smiling at her brother who understands what she's going through more than anyone else in the world. Maybe - maybe it will be okay. </p><p>Then she notices something strange.</p><p>Vanya looks at Ben and thinks maybe it will be okay - and then she hears a sound. A sound she ignores at first because it's almost comforting. A soft, ethereal tinkling.</p><p>She stands up to leave, still clutching to Ben's hand, but he stays sitting and it's then she notices the strange blue lights drifting off his hand, leaving empty glowing spots where they disappear. </p><p>"Ben, what's happening to you?" Vanya asks. As she watches, the glowing lights slowly appear all over his body.</p><p>"I can't go back with you," he says, standing up with a resigned smile.</p><p>"What do you mean?" Vanya asks. Her stomach twists as more lights appear and Ben - Ben tries to hide a grimace and - oh. “I’m hurting you, aren’t I?”</p><p>Ben smiles at her. “It’s not your fault,” he says, and she closes her eyes and tries to breathe. How - how is he the one comforting her right now? It's not fair, he's her <i>brother</i> and she only just got him back.</p><p>"Can I ask you a weird favour?" Ben says, tentatively. </p><p>"Anything," Vanya says immediately.</p><p>“Can you hug me as I go?” he asks. "It's been a long - "</p><p>Vanya gathers Ben into her arms, resting her face against his jacket and and holding onto him as tightly as she can. Like she can stop him from disappearing. “I just got you back,” she says.</p><p>“Vanya,” Ben starts but Vanya just shakes her head.</p><p>“You don’t understand. You kept our family together, we need you.”</p><p>“You guys are coming together just fine on your own,” Ben says into her hair, fondly. “You’ll be fine. I believe in you.” </p><p>She shakes her head again. The lights are drifting away faster now. Her tears drip onto his leather jacket, onto his glowing jacket because it doesn't feel like leather against her cheek anymore. Just cold glowing lights.</p><p>“I’m sorry, Van,” Ben whispers, and Vanya doesn't know what to do. For the first time in her life, she has <i>power</i> - just like she'd dreamed all her childhood - but she's still powerless.</p><p>For the first time since discovering her powers, she wonders what would have happened if she'd been with her siblings on that terrible mission. Would Ben have died? She could saved him. She could have <i>saved him.</i></p><p>Ben tightens his arms around her. He's lit up from the inside and it would be beautiful if it wasn't so terrifying - if she wasn't watching her brother die in front of her. </p><p>Could she save him? She remembers something warm - a power she couldn't explain. Gold lights, so different to the white light of her other powers. </p><p>"Can you tell Klaus - " Ben whispers in her ear, like even speaking is an effort.</p><p>"No," Vanya interrupts, and something bright and warm and alien settles in her chest. "No, tell him yourself."</p><p>Ben trembles in her arms as he tries to hold himself together but Vanya focuses on the warm light inside her and - </p><p>She remembers sitting in sand and desperately trying to push life back into Harlan's body until her chest burned with it and she breathed into his lungs and - </p><p>Ben doesn't have lungs but right now his incorporeal body is sitting alongside her very soul, right where the warmth resides and if her other power is <i>hurting</i> him then - surely - surely this power can <i>help</i> him.</p><p>She closes her eyes and focuses on the warm, alien lights inside her. She focuses on her brother. 

</p><p><br/>
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</p><p>Her brother who came when she was lost and alone</p><p><br/>
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</p><p>Her brother who found her even retreated in the depths of her own mind. </p><p><br/>
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</p><p>Her brother who stayed with her until she felt better.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Vanya opens her eyes and -</p><p>The lights that make up most of Ben's body have turned a brilliant gold.</p><p>“Vanya?” Ben says, sounding amazed but almost distant. She can hear him clearly though, in her mind. "Wait - what - what's happening?"</p><p>And like an echo alongside Ben, Vanya hears Harlan say, "Wait. What - what's happening?"  </p><p>The gold lights encompass her brother completely, his skin lit up from the inside. Vanya pulls back and laughs in amazement, watching him breathe until she literally can't look at him anymore, until there's nothing but gold left and then -</p><p>The gold lights disappear and Vanya is left alone in the corner of her mind again and she smiles.</p><p>She <i>saved him.</i></p><p>Vanya closes her eyes and follows him back to the real world.</p><p><br/>
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</p><p><br/>
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</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Quick note, some things in the coming chapters have been very loosely inspired by <a href="https://apocalypse-gang.tumblr.com/post/628307876086218752/look-at-this-and-tell-me-it-isnt-something-they">this</a> tumblr post, which theorises the golden lights aren't a Vanya-specific power. We won't be going into too much detail, because the Hargreeves siblings don't have a clue, but it's context for where my mind is at (and if nothing else, it's a really interesting theory!)</p><p>It's Saturday afternoon for me, so time to post the next chapter. Thanks for all the comments, kudos &amp; hits on the first part! &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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</p><p>“Klaus?!”</p><p> Klaus rests his head against the cool cement floor, staring up at the ceiling and flickering lights. He hears his name, but ghosts have been screaming his name since before he even had one. It's second nature to tune it out.</p><p>He feels winded, lungs aching as he tries to take a deep breath. Earlier, Klaus had desperately pulled himself through the immense power vibrating around him and had finally - finally - made it to the door when it burst open violently. The world had spun and the next thing he knew he was lying next to Diego at the end of the hallway, ears ringing, the overwhelming pressure of Vanya's power pinning him to the floor.</p><p>And then Ben had walked through that terrifying power like it was easy and Klaus tried to keep him in sight, tried to send power down to him as he walked through the door - and -</p><p>Klaus can’t feel his brother anymore.</p><p>His chest aches like Vanya's power is still pinning him down, but it's not.</p><p>A minute ago the air around them had finally settled and the bodies of FBI agents had fallen to the ground with an unpleasant <i>thud</i> and the tether to his brother glowed golden and warm for a few seconds - so different to the icy chill of his own power - before simply evaporating into nothing.</p><p>Klaus can’t feel his brother anymore.</p><p>It doesn't make sense. He focuses on his power and - there's nothing. There's nothing. Ben has been tethered to his power ever since that cold, bleak day when he summoned him, and now there's nothing. Klaus is alone for the first time in seventeen years. He can't feel his brother anymore. Ben - Ben is gone. </p><p>What happened?</p><p>“Klaus!” The voice calls again, frantic. </p><p>Oh shit.</p><p>It's Vanya.</p><p>Klaus scrambles to his feet as quickly as possible, slipping a bit on the floor in his haste. Allison and Diego are starting to stir, but he runs past them, quickly reaching the doorway where he got catapulted down the hallway and - </p><p>He stumbles to a stop, doing a double-take.</p><p>The room is terrifyingly plain, with cream walls and a single window at the back. He can see two carts, one with medical supplies and another with some strange machine. Vanya is in the middle of the room on some kind of torture chair, her feet in a shallow dish of water and Klaus realises - distantly - what the machine is for. Her hands are untied and she’s frantically reaching down to undo the straps on her legs. </p><p>Next to Vanya and the torture chair, Ben is sprawled out on the floor. He's completely still and his eyes are closed.</p><p>“What?” Klaus chokes out.</p><p>Klaus can’t feel his brother.</p><p>Vanya looks up at him, hands fumbling on the straps. "Is Ben okay?” she asks worriedly. </p><p>"Holy fuck,” Klaus says, shaking out of his stupor and falling to the ground next to Ben. He hasn’t seen Ben this still since - since - </p><p>“What happened?" Klaus asks. He doesn't know what to do. He tries to focus and send Ben power - send him anything to stop him from lying on the ground like that - but nothing happens. The tether is still gone. He can't feel his brother.</p><p>He doesn't know what to do. How the hell can he help Ben when he can't send his power through to him? Can - can ghosts die?</p><p>“I don’t know,” Vanya responds. She unclasps the last strap around her legs and joins him on the floor and  -</p><p>Vanya stares straight at Ben, like she can see him. </p><p>“He was in my mind somehow, and my power was hurting him so I tried to - I don’t know. I tried to do what I did to Harlan.”</p><p>Klaus doesn’t know what Vanya did to Harlan. Klaus doesn’t know who Harlan is.</p><p>This doesn't make sense. Klaus isn’t using his power right now, but as he watches Vanya <i>reaches out</i> with a hand to brush over Ben's forehead.</p><p>“You can see him?” Klaus breathes. This doesn't make sense.</p><p>"What?" Vanya asks.</p><p>There's a gasp from the doorway and Klaus looks up to see Allison and Diego standing there and - and - they're staring at Ben in the same way Vanya is. Like they can see him.</p><p>"Oh my God," Allison says, one hand covering her mouth in shock. "Is that - ? Is that Ben?"</p><p>"What the fuck," Diego says.</p><p>Vanya smiles shakily at them both, and that seems to be a signal for them to rush forward and join Klaus and Vanya on the floor. Their hands hover over Ben, like they're afraid to touch him.</p><p>This doesn't make sense. Klaus isn't sending any power to his brother right now. He can’t even feel Ben right now.</p><p>"You can see him," Klaus breathes. "You guys can - " </p><p>Allison nods. She glances up at him, a little perplexed, before she's immediately drawn back to Ben.</p><p>“I’m not using my powers.” </p><p>"What does that mean?" Vanya asks worriedly.</p><p>"I thought you said he didn't make it," Allison whispers, still staring at Ben like she physically can't look away.</p><p>Klaus doesn’t answer either of them.</p><p>He takes a deep breath and slowly reaches out for Ben's face. Impossibly, his fingers touch the smooth skin at Ben's jaw and he sighs in relief. He moves Ben's head so they can see his face better. There’s something dark trickling from his nose and his skin is almost glowing with golden luminescence, like there are a thousand tiny gold lights shimmering under his skin.</p><p>Klaus pokes Ben's cheek, right where one of the small circular lights are glowing.</p><p>"Klaus!" Allison says disapprovingly, throwing him a stern look. Klaus rolls his eyes. He heard that tone so many times throughout his childhood he's immune to it now. It's like being back in the Academy, getting chewed out by a tiny Allison while Luther tried to explain their daily drills in the background. It wasn't Klaus' fault Luther was so <i>boring</i>.</p><p>Anyway, how else was he meant to test what the weird lights were? Does she have any better ideas? More importantly, why are Ben's eyes <i>closed</i>?</p><p>"C'mon Benjimjam,” Klaus says, trying to smile. “We both know ghosts can't sleep." </p><p>Ben doesn’t respond, his eyes stay closed and he lies completely still. </p><p>Klaus can't feel his brother but Ben is here. </p><p>It used to be like this a long time ago when they were children, before they'd needed Klaus' powers to interact. It used to be like this before Ben died.</p><p>It doesn't make any sense. One hand is clutching tightly at Ben's wrist and - distantly - he realises he's feeling something impossible under his fingertips. He focuses and - </p><p><br/>
</p><p><br/>
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</p><p><i>badum</i> </p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <i>badum</i>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <i>badum</i>
</p><p><br/>
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</p><p>
  <i>badum</i>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p><br/>
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</p><p>"Oh my God," Klaus breathes into the air. </p><p>“What?” Vanya asks, worried.</p><p>“I think he’s got a pulse,” Klaus says, and it doesn’t sound any less impossible after saying it out loud. Immediately Vanya leans forward and presses two fingers against Ben's neck.</p><p>Klaus notices then that Allison's fingers are carding through Ben's fine dark hair and his hair <i>moves</i> with her fingers, it gets messed up. Klaus hasn't seen a single hair out of place in that hairstyle for almost seventeen years.</p><p>Klaus can't feel his brother anymore. </p><p>Finally, it clicks in his mind.</p><p>"Holy shit," Klaus says, laughing in amazement. "He's alive."</p><p>Vanya looks up at all of them, smiling as she feels the same thrumming pulse that he felt a few seconds ago.</p><p>“Oh my God,” she says, and Allison echoes the sentiment staring down in shock at where she's been absentmindedly playing with Ben's hair. </p><p>Diego reaches forward and suddenly they're all crushed together in a hug over the impossibly alive body of their brother - their brother who has been dead for <i>years</i>. They stare down at Ben's flushed, glowing cheeks and hold each other tight. Klaus can see the gentle rise and fall of Ben's chest from where they're crowded over him and he's not crying it's just allergies, okay?</p><p>Finally they pull apart and as they do gold lights dance under Ben's skin, pulsing with unknown power.</p><p>"Why the fuck is he glowing though?" Diego asks gruffly, one hand quickly wiping at his eyes.</p><p>Klaus pushes him in the shoulder. Softie. He has a point though.</p><p>"I - I don't know," Vanya says, hands wringing together anxiously. "It's a new power, I think."</p><p>"You can bring people back to life now?" Diego asks, one eyebrow raised. </p><p>"I - I can't explain it," Vanya says. "It happened on the farm a few days ago, Harlan drowned but I brought him back somehow."</p><p>"Harlan?" Allison asks.</p><p>"The kid I look after."</p><p>Alright then, Vanya can bring people back to life now. Klaus didn't think he could be surprised by Vanya's powers anymore, but this is something else. Ben's chest is moving up and down as he <i>breathes</i>. Forget superpower, this is a miracle.</p><p>For the millionth time, Klaus curses their Dad. How much easier would their missions have been with tiny powerhouse Vanya on their side? How much easier would <i>that</i> mission have been?</p><p>Fuck Dad.</p><p>They went through hell as kids. Ben <i>died</i> and their siblings had to grieve for him and it tore their family apart. And Klaus is glad he didn't have to go through that, he's had his brother with him this whole time, but these years together have also been <i>hard</i> for them. Klaus trapped his brother here when he summoned him all those years ago, stopped him from moving on to whatever peace the afterlife might offer. And if nothing else, the last few days have shown how much Ben hates being a ghost.</p><p>How much he <i>hated</i> being a ghost. Past tense. Holy shit.</p><p>"The lights didn't stay in Harlan like this, though," Vanya continues.</p><p>As if in response to her words, the golden lights brighten under Ben's skin again and Ben <i>groans</i> like he's in pain.</p><p>They all stare at Ben, terrified.</p><p>"Shit," Klaus breaths out, quickly checking Ben's pulse again. It's thrumming a little quickly, but it's steady.</p><p>"Are you sure?" Diego asks, bluntly. "This doesn't seem to be going away."</p><p>Vanya pales. "I - I don't know."</p><p>"It might not be that," Allison rushes to calm her down. "I mean, I'm guessing you didn't create a new body out of thin air for Harlan."</p><p>"No -" Vanya starts, but she's interrupted by the unmistakable sound of three gunshots in quick succession and people screaming on the street.</p><p>"Oh shit, JFK." Diego scrambles to the window on the back wall. They're only a few floors up and can easily hear the commotion - the thump of thousands of footsteps as people run away from the gunman and sirens wailing as authorities start to respond.</p><p>Klaus stares worriedly at Allison and Vanya. This isn't good. They've broken into the FBI building, taken out an entire floor of FBI agents and the President of the United States has just been publicly assassinated on the street below. They can't be found here.</p><p>They all seem to be in panic-stricken agreement. </p><p>Well, almost. In the background, Diego groans out a loud and frustrated "Fuck!" at whatever he's seeing out the window.</p><p>"We've got to get out of here," Allison says.</p><p>"Is he okay to move?" Vanya asks, and as she speaks Ben's skin glows with power and his eyelids flicker. Diego stomps back over to join them, shaking his head.</p><p>"Maybe we should take him to a hospital?" Klaus suggests. </p><p>“He’s glowing,” Allison says, incredulous.  </p><p>Oh. Right. A hospital is probably not a good idea then.</p><p>“Also this one just killed all the FBI,” Diego says, pointing a thumb at Vanya. She grimaces, looking a little bit queasy as she glances at the bodies in the room. </p><p>“We have to move him,” Allison says, decisive. She stands up and hurriedly looks around the room, before pulling out a plain grey blanket from the medical cart in the corner.</p><p>“Wake up, asshole!” Klaus shakes Ben's shoulder with both hands.</p><p>Nothing.</p><p>Allison shakes her head at him before gently tugging up Ben's hoodie so his face is in shadows and tucking the blanket around him, covering any exposed glowing skin.</p><p>“I can carry him,” Diego says. He doesn't wait for a response, grunting slightly as he tries to lift Ben up.</p><p>“Stubborn bastard,” Klaus swears at their unconscious brother, who doesn't even stir as he's awkwardly lifted into Diego's arms. Klaus wishes he had a camera. Klaus wishes Ben would wake up. “Shit.”</p><p>Allison leads the way, power shimmering in the air and ready to rumour anyone they come up against, and within minutes of the assassination they're running out the back of the building and into the panic-stricken streets.</p><p><br/>
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<hr/><p><br/>
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</p><p>"Where the hell have you been?!" Five yells from the living room as soon as Allison and Klaus open the door. "Do you have any idea - "</p><p>Klaus opens the door wide to let Diego through, Ben still awkwardly held in his arms, and Five immediately stops in his tracks, staring in shock.</p><p>“Is - Is that Ben?” Luther stammers from next to him. </p><p>“What the hell?” Five teleports from the living room to join them in the entranceway.</p><p>“Careful,” Vanya says, leading the way past Five and through the open door to the bedroom. "Through here."</p><p>Gently, Diego places Ben down on the ugly bedspread, head resting awkwardly against the pillow and the rest of his limbs sprawled out. He shakes his aching arms out with a groan, and Klaus rolls his eyes. He was only carrying Ben for a few minutes, from the car they commandeered up to Elliot's apartment.</p><p>Luther sits on the bed next to Ben and gently touches Ben's shoulder like he's afraid he's a figment of his imagination. He's staring at him like he's trying to commit his adult face to memory. Five doesn't look much better off, mouth slightly open as he stands in the doorway.</p><p>“Let me get this straight," Five says flatly, shaking his head and closing his gaping mouth. "I send you out to find three of our siblings and you - you come back with four.” </p><p>“I mean, technically you sent me <i>and</i> Ben,” Klaus says with a winning smile, sitting on the bed by Ben's feet.</p><p>"You said he didn't make it," Luther accuses, glancing at Klaus quickly before his eyes are pulled back to Ben like a magnet.</p><p>"Would you believe me if I told you he arrived today?" Klaus smiles, but Luther just rolls his eyes. Allison hides a chuckle behind one hand though, so he counts that a win.</p><p>There's not much else he can say other than brush it off. He knows it was selfish, that Ben wanted to interact with their siblings desperately and that they would have wanted to see him too but - but he also knows firsthand how <i>difficult</i> it is for those who have grieved to suddenly be faced with the ghost of their loved ones and - well.</p><p>He was pretty damn drunk too. So sue him. He would have told them eventually.</p><p>Allison leans over Ben and pulls off his leather jacket, before indicating to Klaus that he should take off his shoes. Klaus finds himself staring a bit too hard because - it hadn't crossed his mind. Seeing Ben out of that dumb leather jacket and hoodie combo is almost as alien as seeing his chest rise and fall. </p><p>"Allison?" Vanya breaks the silence. Her eyes dart to the door before she continues. "Could we talk for a second?"</p><p>Vanya and Allison leave the room, heads close together and whispering. An apocalypse and some impromptu time travel and now their sisters are two little peas in a pod. You'd never know they weren't close as children. Klaus kind of wants to go with them and find out what they're whispering about but - well. He's not in any rush to leave Ben's side and neither are the others.</p><p>They settle in to wait for Ben to wake up - though it seems like that's not going to happen until he's good and ready.</p><p>Coming back to life obviously takes a bit of energy.</p><p>Five leans against the wall opposite the door, in an ideal position to survey the entire room and all entrance points while Luther and Diego lean back on the floor, casually chatting about protein and exercise and girl problems. At least, Klaus assumes that's what they're talking about. He's not actually listening. Klaus sits back against the headboard, and kicks his foot into Ben's thigh at odd intervals to try to wake him up, and stares at his brother's stupid glowing sleeping face.</p><p>Then, at one point in between kicks the glowing lights seem to multiply until they're bright enough to light up the room. Diego and Luther's chatter stops, and Five moves forward from his position and for a second - just a second - Klaus thinks he sees Ben <i>flicker</i> but it's been a long day and he's probably still recovering from someone keeping him up all night the night before last - the dickhead - and he's sure it's nothing - </p><p>"Did - did you guys see that?" Diego stares at Ben, shocked.</p><p>Five frowns, staring at Ben with an intense look. Like he's a puzzle that needs putting together. Like he's waiting for it to happen again.</p><p>"A trick of the light, right?" Luther chuckles awkwardly, looking around at the serious faces of his brothers. "Right guys?"</p><p>"That we all saw?" Diego presses. </p><p>"That wasn't a trick of the light," Five says seriously, still staring at Ben.</p><p>As they watch, the lights grow brighter again and Ben groans in pain before disappearing completely again in front of their eyes and reappearing a full two seconds later.</p><p>Shit.</p><p><br/>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Would love to hear what you think! As always, come cry with me about the Hargreeves on my tumblr <a href="https://caedi.tumblr.com/">@caedi</a>.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I've had a migraine for the past few days, which is usually when I do most of my editing/refining so apologies if this chapter isn't the same standard as previous ones! I'll probably make some edits in a few days when I'm better, but wanted to get this up on time since it was written already :D</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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</p><p><i>Ring Ring.</i> </p><p>Vanya glances nervously at Allison as the phone rings between them, her stomach twisting in on itself into small complicated knots. </p><p>Allison sends her a small reassuring smile. Vanya tries to smile back, but she knows it's a little shaky. She just - she just wants Sissy and Harlan to be okay.  </p><p>
  <i>Ring Ring.</i>
</p><p>It had been hard to leave Ben lying on the bed, golden lights glowing under his skin, but their siblings had been settling in to watch him with a quiet intensity. Vanya doesn’t feel capable of that kind of focus right now.</p><p>
  <i>Ring Ring.</i>
</p><p>All she can think about is the way Harlan’s voice echoed in her head alongside Ben. The way that she'd known, in her soul, that it was Harlan. The way the power she transferred to Ben was staying inside of him, and flaring up and <i>hurting</i> him.</p><p>The look on Diego’s face as he’d said bluntly, “Are you sure?” when she said it hadn’t been the same for Harlan. </p><p>Vanya couldn’t live with herself if she’d put Harlan in danger. </p><p>
  <i>Click.</i>
</p><p>“Cooper residence,” Carl’s tinny voice sounds from the phone.</p><p>Allison immediately brings the receiver up to her mouth. “I heard a rumour you gave the phone to Sissy and let her talk,” she says, power vibrating the air as she speaks down the line.</p><p>There’s a moment where both she and Allison wait with baited breath.</p><p>Alison used her power in a lot of different situations when they were children. She used it on missions, in training, during tutoring, and even free time. Vanya knows just as well as any of their siblings that Allison's power is versatile but sometimes it doesn't work the way they expect.</p><p>There were missions where Allison had stolen a radio and stopped what would otherwise have been a bloodbath, criminals not even realising they’d been defeated until they had handed themselves in to the police and were securely cuffed. But there were just as many missions where radio interference would interrupt the rumour and Allison's power would fizzle out into nothing. There had also been one memorable time when the rumour stuck despite interference and they had a building full of criminals determined to take themselves to the polls instead of police.</p><p>Vanya had listened to her siblings laugh about that one for weeks, slowly piecing together the details. </p><p>She stares at Allison, tense and hoping, until she finally hears Sissy on the other end of the line. “Hello?”  </p><p>Vanya grabs the phone, bringing it up to her ear. “Sissy? It’s Vanya.”</p><p>Sissy makes a distressed sound, and doesn't say anything at first. Vanya tries not to stress during the pause - Sissy wouldn't be betraying her - Vanya can't even imagine that. She's probably waiting for Carl to leave the room, because it was Carl who sent state troopers after her and Sissy when they were so close to getting away - when they were so close to being able to build a life together.</p><p>The pause goes on forever. Vanya holds onto the phone tightly until finally Sissy is rushing out in one breath - “Oh thank God you’re okay. I was so worried.” </p><p>“Me, too,” Vanya says, clutching the phone up to her ear desperately. She barely notices as Allison leaves to give her some privacy, moving back to the bedroom where the rest of their siblings are sitting with Ben. </p><p>“They were talking crazy,” Sissy says. “They said - they said you were a spy or something.” </p><p>“I’m not, I promise." </p><p>"I know, I know. It was crazy."</p><p>“Are you okay?” Vanya asks. “Is Harlan okay?</p><p>“Yeah, we’ll be fine,” Sissy says. “Something strange happened, though. Carl was all worked up, you know how he gets.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Vanya says, tone flat.</p><p>“Said he was going to take Harlan away. I swear to God I was ready to shoot the car to stop him - “</p><p>“Oh, God.” </p><p>“But then Harlan talked as Carl was getting him into the car. It was the craziest thing, he told us to wait and asked what was happening,” Sissy says, voice shaking. “Shook us both up, let me tell you. Carl’s still in a right mood.” </p><p>Oh, God. Vanya remembers Ben's body turning a brilliant gold and his voice - amazed and distant - asking what was happening. There was a flash of connection in her mind between her, Ben and Harlan and she'd heard Harlan say the same words like an echo alongside Ben.</p><p> Harlan must not have just said the words in her mind, though. He'd said them out loud as Carl was dragging him away and his Mom was desperately trying to save him.</p><p>Whatever she'd done to Ben was impacting Harlan too.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Vanya says automatically. It feels like her heart is beating out of her chest. What has she done to them?</p><p>“Ain’t got nothing to do with you,” Sissy says kindly, even though she doesn't understand. She doesn't <i>understand</i>. Even Vanya doesn't know what she's done. “I’m just glad you’re alright.” </p><p>Vanya shakes her head, clutching tighter at the phone. "I think - I think I can help Harlan,” she blurts out.</p><p>“What do you mean?” Sissy asks. </p><p>“It's hard to explain,” Vanya says. “I remember everything now and I found out some things that - that clarifies things.” </p><p>“I knew someone would be missing you,” Sissy says, teasingly. "Your little brother?" </p><p>“Five brothers actually,” Vanya admits, glancing toward the bedroom where her siblings are sequestered. “And a sister.” </p><p>“Wow, that's a full house,” Sissy says. “Gosh. I don’t know what I’m gonna do without you, girl.” </p><p>Vanya breathes in, smiling into the phone. "You won't be without me. I'll come back, I - I think I can help Harlan."</p><p>"Don't you dare. It's not safe for you here right now," Sissy interrupts. "When Carl and his brother get a thought like that in their head they ain't gonna let it go no matter what the feds say."</p><p>"Right, of course," Vanya swears under her breath. "God, I'm sorry."</p><p>Sissy thinks she was let go by the FBI but the opposite is true. Her siblings had to fight tooth and nail to get her out and they almost lost Ben in the process. If she goes back to the farm and Carl sees her and contacts the FBI then - then she'll get captured again in a second. No matter how much she wants to be with Sissy and Harlan right now, that's the last thing any of them need. </p><p>"What did I say?" Sissy chastises. "You got nothing to be sorry for."</p><p>“I - I'm worried about Harlan though," she says. "Has anything else happened?"</p><p>There's a slight pause, before Sissy admits, “It was awful strange. It stopped Carl in his tracks. He's always wanted Harlan to talk like that, but I don't think it was Harlan. Not really. Call it a mother's instinct. And before that I could have sworn he was glowing." </p><p>Vanya swears under her breath. She hears something from the other room and sees a silhouette pacing in the window - most likely Five - before she refocuses on Sissy.</p><p>“Do you think you could get him here?” Vanya asks, twisting the cord around her fingers in anxiety. </p><p>“I don’t know, Vanya,” Sissy says. "You really think you can help?"</p><p>“My family and I can help, I promise. It’s the safest place for him.” </p><p>“I guess he’ll need a check up, especially after today. I reckon I can swing that with Carl.” </p><p>“Are you sure? I could come out but - “</p><p>“No way. I told you, it's not safe.”</p><p>“But Carl - “</p><p>“You let me worry about Carl," Sissy says, determined. "I’ll deal with him.” </p><p>“Okay,” Vanya says. “Do you know the electronics store off Main st? We’re staying there.” </p><p>“I know it. I'll see you soon," Sissy says, like a promise.</p><p><br/>
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</p><p>After Vanya hangs up she stands by the phone and breathes out slowly. Those stolen moments with Sissy feel both ever present and too long ago. She wishes Sissy was with her right now, but she'll be here soon. Sissy is okay - she and Harlan are safe and they're coming here. Vanya doesn't know how to help Harlan - not yet - but if anyone in the 1960s can help it will be her and her siblings.</p><p>She's not alone at the table anymore. </p><p>Ben will be alright. Sissy and Harlan will come here and they'll make sure Harlan is alright as well.</p><p>And Vanya decides there and then that when she sees Sissy, she'll tell her the truth. She'll tell her the truth about everything. About her family. About her powers. About travelling through time. About the kind of life they could live together in 2019. </p><p>She smiles, holding the phone up to her face almost as if in prayer, and hopes. Sissy feels like an oasis in her life, amongst all the superhero madness but there's also -</p><p>She glances at the frosted glass, where she can see Five's silhouette pacing in the bedroom. </p><p>There's also Ben.</p><p>Their brother Ben, the mediator of all their childhood spats, who they buried in the frozen ground thirteen years ago and then their tiny family unit fell apart. Ben, who showed up in her consciousness as a ghost, torn apart by her power until she'd pulled on those golden lights inside her and he was lying on the dusty FBI floor like a miracle. </p><p> Vanya has to put Sissy and Harlan behind her for a moment - just a moment - to make sure her brother is okay. Even if those moments feel like a betrayal.</p><p>It's not a betrayal though. It doesn't have to be.</p><p>She can have her memories, her family <i>and</i> Sissy. </p><p>The alternative is unthinkable.</p><p>She’s overthinking, like she always does. The two aren't necessarily misaligned. She, Ben and Harlan are linked through those gold lights. If she figures out how to help Ben, then she can help Harlan too as soon as he and Sissy arrive.</p><p>Vanya holds the phone close to her face and breathes in slowly - for the full five seconds and then out twice as long and counts in her head. She read somewhere that it’s meant to help and then maybe - maybe - she won’t let anyone down.</p><p><br/>
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</p><p>One.</p><p><br/>
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</p><p>Two.</p><p><br/>
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</p><p>Three</p><p><br/>
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</p><p>Four</p><p><br/>
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</p><p>Five</p><p><br/>
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</p><p>Si -</p><p><br/>
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</p><p>There’s a sudden crash from the bedroom and Vanya looks up to see the frosted glass flash golden as something - or someone - hits the ground. She races to the door, leaving the phone swinging from its hook. </p><p>”Vanya!” Allison calls, as Vanya opens the door and stumbles into the room. </p><p>The bedroom is a mess - anything that was by the bed has been flung to the other side of the room. Five, Diego and Luther are on the opposite side of the room, near the window and in battle formation. Klaus is sprawled out on the ground near the door, like he was thrown from the bed. He leans back and looks up in pure terror at the figure on the bed.</p><p>Ben is sitting up on the bed, hugging his knees to his chest and <i>screaming</i>.  Golden power is swirling through his skin, lighting him up from the inside.</p><p>”Shit,” Vanya says, as Allison grabs her arm and stares up with her.</p><p>Klaus scrambles up to the bed and reaches for Ben. His hand gets close to Ben before he pulls it back to his chest.</p><p>”Are you okay?” Vanya asks, moving to stand next to him.</p><p>Klaus nods, not taking his eyes off the glowing orbs lighting Ben up. “It just felt… strange.”</p><p>He looks up at Vanya. “What do we do?”</p><p>”I don’t know,” Vanya says.</p><p>”Can you take the - the lights away?” Allison suggests, touching Vanya on the shoulder.</p><p>Vanya looks up at Allison, immediately shaking her head. “What if it hurts him?”</p><p>”It’s hurting him now!” Diego yells from the other side of the bed. “We gotta try something!”</p><p>"It could kill him!" Vanya yells back. Her heart thumps loudly in her chest, almost louder than Ben's terrible screams. What if the golden lights are the only thing holding his body together?</p><p>Vanya closes her eyes and shakes her head again. She hears Klaus make a sound like he's been punched in the chest - a sound she doesn't quite have a name for - and when she opens her eyes Ben isn't there. He's gone. The golden power swirls around where he was - almost showing the outline of his body despite not being able to see <i>him</i> - but - but - </p><p>They can still hear him screaming.</p><p>”Oh my God,” Vanya whispers, and then Ben reappears, like it never happened.</p><p>Klaus makes that sound again, staring desperately at Ben. “That happened earlier, too,” he tells her.</p><p>Shit. What has she done?</p><p>”Okay,” Vanya says over Ben's screams, trying to pull herself together. “Okay. I’ll try.”</p><p>Allison squeezes her shoulder and Klaus nods at her. Even Five sends her a shaky smile. She draws on her power until she can feel that cool brightness form in her chest and her eyes glow white. She climbs up onto the bed and - </p><p>Ben stops screaming, hiding his face in his knees.</p><p>”Ben?” she asks, but he’s visibly shaking and doesn’t respond.</p><p>Vanya reaches out and gently puts her hands out towards Ben and places them gently on his knees. There’s a moment - a split second - where she swears her hand starts to go straight through him, like his body is made of smoke - but she pulls back and tries again and - </p><p>She connects. She can feel the texture of his dark jeans and the warmth - the <i>heat</i> - coming off his skin and - </p><p>Ben looks up at her, dark eyes shocked. He looks overwhelmed and confused, like he’s not really sure what’s happening.</p><p>Vanya doesn’t know either.</p><p>”I’m - I’m going to try to help,” she says.</p><p>He stares back, not registering her words over the swell of power between them and - and flickers again in front of her eyes.</p><p>"I'm sorry," Vanya says, desperate. "I'm sorry."</p><p>She focuses on bright orb of power in her chest and then even deeper until she finds those warm golden lights and she breathes slowly and tries to imagine them being drawn back inside her. The lights are vibrating the air around them with power and lighting up her brother's body and she imagines them stilling and slowly returning to that place deep inside her until there are none left. Until it's just her brother sitting in front of her, like a miracle.</p><p>For a moment that's all she can feel, just the sound of her own breathing and that warmth growing in her chest as the golden lights return to her, multiplying until the warmth <i>burns</i> but she keeps her hands steady and focuses - focuses on helping her brother like he helped her and - </p><p>There's nothing left.</p><p>It's over.</p><p>She laughs in relief and looks up at her siblings who have rushed forward to the bed now that the golden lights have disappeared but their faces are slack in shock and <i>terrified</i> and she lowers her hands - and she realises distantly that her hands move through where Ben should be sitting and she looks down and - </p><p>Ben's gone.</p><p>There's no one on the bed.</p><p><br/>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Any guesses about what's happening with Ben? The reveal is next chapter so now is your last chance!</p><p>Would love to hear what you think and as always, come cry with me about the Hargreeves on my tumblr <a href="http://caedi.tumblr.com">@caedi</a>.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>And now for our final POV character. There are no prizes for guessing who it is!</p><p>We'll be switching regularly between these three now. Thanks for sharing your theories! I really hope you enjoy this chapter, I've been excited about getting to it since starting the story :D</p><p>tw: description of a panic attack and brief reference to the possession storyline.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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</p><p>Ben’s been here before. He used to come here every night when he was alive.</p><p>His father called it a weakness.</p><p>Like always, Ben is standing at the top of the Eiffel tower. The tower is shaking - his whole body is vibrating with it - but he can’t see any of his siblings and he can't leave without them. For a second he thinks he sees Vanya reaching out to help but - but that doesn’t make sense. Why would Vanya be with them in Paris? And then the world shakes with unbearable power and he loses his grip on the tower and he’s falling through the air screaming as the cobblestone streets rush to meet him and he closes his eyes for the impact when - </p><p>Ben wakes up with adrenaline rushing through his body, trying desperately to breathe - he can’t - he can’t <i>breathe</i> - but of course he can’t - he doesn’t need to breathe - but his mind isn’t listening.</p><p>It’s a familiar feeling.</p><p>He used to wake up from nightmares almost every night when he was alive.  Every night he'd fall from the Eiffel tower as it launched into space, or sit in that room with his father screaming at him, or be frozen in place while watching his siblings die in front of him. There was one particularly gruesome nightmare where he’d let out the Horrors but instead of attacking he’d be forced to watch, helpless, as they turned his body inside out. He always woke up crying and hyperventilating because he’d <i>known</i> what that meant. He'd failed. They'd escaped.</p><p>And this - this isn’t helping. Ben is breathing in too quickly but that doesn’t make sense.</p><p>The world feels like <i>too much</i>.</p><p>He tries to focus. It’s dark but there’s just enough light to see that he’s lying under something - some kind of furniture? - there are wooden slats above his head.</p><p>How did he get here? </p><p>Something cold settles in his chest. He doesn’t remember. He doesn’t have a clue.</p><p>Ben closes his eyes. That doesn’t make sense.</p><p>There’s no escape as a ghost - he’s been conscious for almost seventeen years. Sometimes when Klaus is irritating him or needs some space he can fade back to the monochrome place where that bright light is waiting and voices are encouraging him to move on but he’s not <i>unconscious</i> there, he’s just passing time until he focuses on that ever present tether that connects him to Klaus’ power and slides back to his brother’s side.</p><p>But he’s never lost time like this. Not since the moment Klaus conjured him.</p><p>What has he done? </p><p>What did he do to Klaus?</p><p>The last thing he remembers is - is possessing Klaus. He’d talked Klaus into it and it had been incredible and overwhelming and he’d felt things again - he’d eaten an orange and it had tasted sour and he’d touched a leaf and it had crumpled between his fingers and he'd taken off Klaus’ shoes and felt grass between his toes and he’d rolled in the dirt and talked to Jill and held her in his lap and he’d hugged Diego - <i>he'd hugged Diego</i> - and then they’d run for the alleyway but he’d - he’d lost focus - he hadn’t wanted to let go - </p><p>Klaus had wanted him to leave but he hadn’t wanted to. He’d ignored him and just focused on getting to the alley and -</p><p>Shit. </p><p>Is he becoming like the other ghosts? Like the ghosts that used to follow Klaus around, so focused on using his brother for their own goals. They were only ever focused on being alive again.</p><p>What did he do?</p><p>Is Klaus okay? He thinks Klaus was okay - he thinks they were joking about it at Allison’s place but it’s - it’s fuzzy in a way none of his memories have been since dying. All he knows is he possessed Klaus and he’s lost time.</p><p>His heart feels like it’s beating out of his chest.</p><p>Ben closes his eyes and focuses on drifting back to that monochrome world. If he’s got to the stage of his ghostly existence where he’s <i>losing consciousness</i> and hurting his brother it - it might be time. </p><p>It might be time.</p><p>Ben doesn’t want to go. He wants to stay with his siblings and help them stop the apocalypse and travel with them back to 2019. He wants to know Klaus is okay and tell him everything they never talked about but he’s also not sure he trusts himself to be around Klaus right now.</p><p>Ben focuses and - and -</p><p>Nothing happens.</p><p>Is it too late?</p><p>He covers his face with his hands and tries to breathe. The world feels like too much and he doesn’t know what he’s done or when he’s going to lose time again.</p><p>What had Dad told them during training? He can almost hear his voice echoing in his head, "Listen children! The first thing you must do when waking up disoriented after a period of unconsciousness - however long - is take note of your surroundings. This will be key to your survival!"</p><p>Of course, Dad had been preparing them for being kidnapped or abducted or abandoned on a dangerous mission but still. If he figures out where he is maybe that will help uncover everything else.</p><p>Ben reaches for whatever is above him. He doesn’t connect, of course, but he thinks it’s wooden slats? And then for the first time he notices his arm and stares in complete shock at where it's reaching up up through the wooden slats. </p><p>“What?” Ben says out loud.</p><p>His arm is bare and for the first time in almost seventeen years he can see his Umbrella Academy tattoo. It’s dark and bold against his skin - unlike his sibling's tattoos the ink on his never got a chance fade. It wasn’t something he’d thought about much though, because he hasn’t had to see it since he put on his leather jacket the morning he died.

</p><p>The Horrors twist and turn in <i>glee</i> in his stomach.</p><p>Ben moves onto his side on instinct, clutching at his abdomen and curling his knees up to his chest to give the Horrors less space to move around but - but he hasn’t needed to do any of this for years. </p><p>Not since he died.</p><p>God. What has he <i>done</i> to make them active like this?</p><p>His tattoo is there and he’s - he’s not wearing his hoodie or jacket, just the plain black t-shirt that had been underneath both of them. What the hell is going on?</p><p>“Ben?” A familiar voice calls.</p><p>“Klaus?” Ben replies and relief rushes through him. Klaus is alive. Ben isn’t alone.</p><p>Suddenly Klaus is crawling in on his stomach, resting his chin on his hands as he looks at Ben.</p><p>“What are you doing under here, Benito?” Klaus says, smiling at him through the darkness.</p><p>“I - I don’t know,” Ben says. “Are you okay?”</p><p>“I’m okay,” Klaus says. “We’re more worried about you right now.”</p><p>“I don’t - I don’t remember anything,” Ben admits.</p><p>“I know, hey,” Klaus says. He reaches for Ben’s arm where it’s curled around the Horrors and even though he doesn’t touch him they <i>sing</i> back in a way they haven’t since - since -  </p><p>“You’re okay. You're better than okay.” Klaus smiles.</p><p>Ben just shakes his head and he can’t breathe he can’t <i>breathe</i> none of this makes any sense. Klaus scoots back a bit and says something out where the light is coming from and there’s another sound - like footsteps and doors closing and then Klaus is back next to him in the darkness.</p><p>Is this even real?</p><p>What has he done?</p><p>Ben - Ben can’t <i>breathe</i> - he doesn’t understand and he thinks he starts to lose time again, his mind racing.</p><p>Klaus is there though, talking to him softly. Ben doesn’t think he’d be there if - if he’d really turned into the other ghosts.</p><p>It takes a while but eventually Ben realises that Klaus is talking through familiar breathing exercises, the same silly rhymes Ben used when ghosts got overwhelming on street corners like, “Breathe in one for Luther; a bit of a loser, and two for Diego and his massive ego,“ until Klaus was breathing steadily again or snort-laughing into the pavement.</p><p>It doesn’t make sense but Klaus chants through their numbers and Ben focuses on breathing slowly and he can almost feel air filling his lungs and then out again until his chest aches with it and -</p><p>And he can hear an unfamiliar and <i>alien</i> sound inside him - warmth rushing through his veins - </p><p><br/>
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</p><p>"I - I can hear my heartbeat," Ben breathes out.</p><p>“Hell yeah you can,” Klaus laughs, staring at him amazed.</p><p>"That doesn't make any sense," Ben says.</p><p>“Vanya did something," Klaus says. “She brought you back. You're alive.”</p><p>“What? No, I’m not.”</p><p>“I’m serious!" Klaus glares.</p><p>”That’s not funny, Klaus,” Ben says.</p><p>”I’m not joking!” Klaus says, and even in their cramped conditions he tries to bring his arm up to his chest in fake outrage.</p><p>”There’s something weird going on, though.”</p><p>Klaus glares. “That <i>is</i> the weird thing.</p><p>”Come on, Klaus.”</p><p>"Why don’t you believe me!” Klaus says, reaching forward to push against Ben’s shoulder and his hand goes <i>straight through</i>.

</p><p>"Hey," Ben complains, because Klaus <i>knows</i> how much he hates that. </p><p>Klaus is staring in shock at where he wasn't able to touch Ben, like he's questioning everything. "What the hell."</p><p>"Don't do that," Ben says. "You know I hate it."</p><p>"N - No," Klaus says, stuttering. "No, I'm not kidding around. Everyone else could see you."</p><p>"Klaus," Ben starts before pausing as Klaus breaks eye contact to look behind him.</p><p>“Maybe I wasn’t the right person to come under and help you.” </p><p>“No,” Ben says, because he’s selfish. “Don’t go.” </p><p>For a moment Ben doesn't think Klaus is going to listen to him - his brother loves being contrary - he thinks he's going to be stuck alone here again with all his fears and regrets - </p><p>Then Klaus' face softens. “Okay. I won’t,” he says. </p><p>There’s a pause before he continues, “Do you think we could get out from under the bed though? It’s a little cramped and I <i>know</i> how many years you’ve been wearing that shirt.”</p><p>“Uh," Ben says. "The bed?”</p><p><br/>
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</p><p>So.</p><p>Apparently they're lying under the bed in Elliot's room.</p><p>Ben has stopped trying to make sense of what's happening.</p><p>It takes Ben a few tries to crawl out from under the bed because his hands seem to have lost any semblance of physicality. The first time he tries to push himself up his hand goes straight through the floor and he hits his head on the carpet with a - “Shit!” </p><p>Ben glares at Klaus from where he’s half sticking out of the floor. </p><p>“It’s not me!” Klaus says, hands up in the air placatingly. “I can’t even feel you anymore.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“I told you,” Klaus says. “Vanya brought you back.”</p><p>Ben snorts and it's almost like he can feel the air brush back up to him when it hits the carpet at his chin. This doesn't make sense. “What, so Vanya can bring people back to life now?”</p><p>“Yeah, we were surprised too.”</p><p>“There’s no way.”</p><p>“Apparently she’s done it before to - to the kid she’s looking after.”</p><p>“What?” Ben looks up, and he - he breathes out and tries to focus. As a ghost he could touch some things so he tries to focus on that feeling - that incredible feeling of semi-corporeality he was able to achieve when he leaned against a wall or sat on a chair and - </p><p>And this time his hand connects with the carpet and he can - he can feel the individual fibres under his fingers and -</p><p>He can hear his heartbeat in his ears.</p><p>He’s breathing.</p><p>“Holy shit,” he says, finally crawling out and collapsing next to Klaus.</p><p>“Yay,” Klaus cheers, a little unsure. “You did it?”</p><p>“Holy shit,” Ben laughs. “I’m alive?”</p><p>Klaus nods and the next thing he knows they're hugging. They don't hug very often, that's just not the kind of relationship they have. Instead they tackle each other and get into dumb fights or tickle the other until they’re crying with laughter or get each other into a headlocks and give each other noogies until their head <i>hurts</i> from it.</p><p>This feels like a special occasion though.</p><p>It also feels like more than Ben has felt in a long time - he hasn’t felt this present in his own body for decades. He can feel the scratchy texture of Klaus’ shirt against his cheek and smell his aftershave and the stupid strawberry shampoo he left back at the cult and <i>everything</i> that makes up his brother and more - the texture of his socks against his feet and the temperature of the air around them - the room is a little cold.</p><p>“Holy shit,” Ben breathes out and he can see the air move Klaus’ hair.</p><p>“Holy shit,” Klaus laughs with him.</p><p>Ben has no idea how long they spend clinging to each other. It feels like the end of an era but the beginning - the beginning of everything. He clings as tight as he can to his brother until his arms ache wonderfully from it but after what feels like forever they pull apart. </p><p>“That - that doesn’t explain this though?” Ben says, looking at his hands. He reaches forward and focuses on that familiar feeling - the feeling he’s used to - the feeling of being a ghost and not being able to interact with the world as it passes him by and - and they both watch his hand go through Klaus knee like golden smoke.</p><p>“Yeah,” Klaus agrees, looking a little uncomfortable. “That’s - that’s weird.”</p><p>Ben pulls back quickly and focuses again on the impossible way his breath is moving in his lungs and his heart is beating in his veins and the next time he touches Klaus’ knee he connects. It feels powerful - this is something Klaus could switch on and off with a thought ever since he realised he could make Ben corporeal and he abused it all the time - it made their tickle fights impossible but oh how the tables have turned now.</p><p>For the first time he’s in control of his own corporeality and it feels - it feels like a <i>superpower.</i></p><p>Ben clutches at his stomach where the Horrors are still twisting and turning around and - and - that makes sense as well. If he’s alive then the Horrors have access to the living world again. No wonder they’re so active.</p><p>“You - you were glowing when Vanya brought you back,” Klaus says. "And sometimes you flickered like you were invisible." </p><p>“What?” </p><p>“You looked super weird.” </p><p>Ben rolls his eyes at the dig. “You think that has something to do with - with this?” </p><p>Klaus shrugs. “Maybe? Vanya’s done this before so I guess we could ask - ” </p><p>There’s a sudden noise at the door and it bursts open. </p><p>Allison tumbles through with a surprised shout, followed by the rest of their siblings. She manages to right herself relatively quickly, her hands covering a smile that stretches across her face. </p><p>“Sorry, sorry!” Luther calls from where he’s fallen to the ground with Diego and Vanya. “I - I leant against the handle.” </p><p>Ben looks at his siblings from where he’s sitting next to the bed with Klaus and - and - </p><p>His siblings are staring straight at him. </p><p>“Oh,” Ben says, amazed. His siblings stare back at him and he imagines he has a similar expression on his face - like he’s been given an incredible gift - like he might never stop smiling - like his cheeks might actually start to ache from smiling because they can see him - they can <i>see him</i>. </p><p>“Hi,” Ben says and suddenly he’s surrounded on all sides by all of them. Five has teleported into his side closest to the door and Vanya is crying into his chest and Klaus is uncomfortably squished into his other side where Diego is hugging around them both and Allison is above Vanya and smiling into his hair and Luther is above them all and he can’t stop laughing and -</p><p>“Hi,” Ben repeats and he’s pretty sure he’s crying into Vanya’s hair and Allison is messing up his hair for the first time in years and he’s surrounded by his siblings and it’s <i>glorious</i>. </p><p>Ben lets himself bask. </p><p>He’s alive. His siblings are okay and - and they can see him.</p><p>For the first time in almost seventeen years it feels like maybe - maybe everything is going to be okay. </p><p><br/>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Big reveal! .... Ben fell through the bed.</p><p>So, the golden lights. We know from canon that Harlan gets powers after Vanya brings him back to life and with the amount of golden lights it would take to create an entire body, well, I figured that Ben would get extra powers from it too ;)</p><p>Would love to hear what you think!! &lt;3 As always come cry with me about the Hargreeves <a href="http://caedi.tumblr.com">@caedi</a>.</p><p>Also, next chapter is going to be a little late. Sorry all.</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry this chapter is over a week late! I'm moving house so updates are going to slow down a bit. Apparently moving when your state is in stage four lockdown is a bit stressful - particularly as it means it's illegal for anyone to come round and help haha. I live alone so it's just me, my cats, and a thousand boxes of pure chaos right now.</p><p>I should be back to posting regularly by November 14 at the latest :D</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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</p><p>It doesn’t really sink in for Klaus until he’s squished against Diego’s chest with Ben’s elbow poking into his gut that - </p><p>Ben’s alive again.</p><p>Ben is really truly alive again.</p><p>It’s a miracle. </p><p>When Ben disappeared from Elliot’s bed Klaus half expected that familiar tether to slip back into place like it never left - he was bracing for it and he was almost relieved waiting for the familiar feeling - to know that he wasn't alone. But then Vanya heard Ben from under the bed and Klaus immediately crawled under to check on him and lay next to him and <i>hugged</i> his brother without expending any of his own power and - </p><p>It - it still doesn’t seem real.</p><p>Klaus remembers the first time he was able to make Ben corporeal in the sixties. He’d been insufferable for weeks after that - helping Klaus with little telekinetic tricks with his most smug smile.

</p><p>It had almost felt like old times.</p><p>Now, Klaus can look back on those first few months with almost-fondness. Ben basking in the semi-incorporeality Klaus was able to give him - working together to pull one over the rich people hosting them -  before the claustrophobic cult got out of hand and Ben started yearning for something <i>more</i> than Klaus would ever be able to give him.</p><p>And, well, Klaus can admit it's a little hard to come to terms with the fact that, even with his growing powers, he could never give Ben what he wanted. He's always going to be the sibling who trapped Ben in that terrible half-existence for years, and Vanya will always be the one who - within seconds of seeing their brother - brought him back to them with barely a thought - without even knowing what she was doing.</p><p>There's a lot Klaus is going to have to come to terms with.</p><p>The place where the tether to Ben's ghost used to be feels empty and absent, even though his brother is right in front of him - pointy elbows digging into Klaus' stomach - it feels - it feels like he's lost him.</p><p>It's a good thing though. </p><p>Their siblings are leaking all over their newly resurrected brother. And Ben is different - he’s not the same boy that died in front of them at seventeen - but they have time to figure that out and the burden isn’t on Klaus to give that to them. </p><p>Ben is laughing in happiness, surrounded and <i>seen</i> by all his siblings for the first time in years. Klaus leans against his shoulder, breathing in before he blows a big raspberry on Ben’s shoulder to keep him at least a little bit grounded. </p><p>“Urgh, Klaus!” Ben complains, trying to squirm away from him.</p><p>Klaus cackles and tightens his arms around Ben. He's not going to be able to escape for a long time.</p><p>He thinks of the weight that's been lifted from both of them. The way Ben had been so disappointed in him recently - more than  usual - and so unhappy with his existence. He thinks of all the things unsaid between them - the resentment he could feel humming behind everything his brother said to him. </p><p>And now Ben's alive again. It's - it's resolved. He's free. </p><p>It doesn't feel real.</p><p>Klaus supposes he's free too.</p><p>For the first time Klaus isn’t going to be the only person dealing with Ben’s insufferable nagging. The space where his tether to Ben used to be still feels sensitive and strange - like something is missing so he clings to Ben a little bit tighter. This could be a really good thing, for both of them. </p><p>“This is nice,” Klaus mumbles onto his brother’s shoulder, the thought repeating in his mind like a mantra, echoing throughout the empty place where his brother once lived. This is nice. It's a good thing.</p><p>Ben hums in agreement and Klaus can feel the vibrations from where he’s pressed up against his side - from where his brother breathes in air and expels it again and makes a sound.</p><p>This could be a really good thing.</p><p><br/>
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</p><p>All seven of them end up sitting on Elliot’s floor, still basking in the fact there's <i>seven</i> of them again, and unwilling to completely let go of each other. Their legs are twisted together like when they were children hiding up in the attic to play together after bedtime, giggling quietly as they tried not to alert Mom. A tricky task, since her sensors were calibrated each night to detect children out of bed. </p><p>Ben smiles at Vanya, elbowing her to get her attention. “Hey,” he says. “We stopped the apocalypse.” </p><p>Vanya smiles back, a little stunned. “I guess we did.” </p><p>Growing up, Ben and Vanya always got lost amongst their louder, more extroverted siblings. In a way, they’d both been relegated to passivity since the sudden end of the Umbrella Academy but today - today they saved the world.</p><p>Well. Sort of.</p><p>Klaus supposes it still counts as stopping the apocalypse when you were the cause of it to begin with. At least this time they didn’t have to travel through time to avoid it. </p><p>“It’s not over though,” Five says, tone serious, and they all turn to look at him. The seriousness of his expression is somewhat softened by the way he's leaning back against Luther - one arm around Diego and Vanya sitting in front of him.</p><p>“What do you mean?” Allison asks.</p><p>Five just shakes his head, untangling himself from his siblings. “We don’t have much time.”</p><p>“Come on, Five,” Luther starts, reaching towards him. “This is good!” </p><p>“No - no you don’t understand.”</p><p>“Come on man. Sit back down.” Diego reaches up towards Five but he steps back away from his grasp easily. “I promise we stopped it. Vanya was the bomb.” </p><p>“This time, yes,” Five says, starting to pace. “But as long as we’re in this timeline, it’s not going to be over.”</p><p>Ben looks over at Klaus, worried and Klaus just quirks an eyebrow at him.  Slowly, Klaus watches the realisation sink in and Ben takes a steady breath in before -</p><p>“What do you mean, Five?” Ben asks.</p><p>“I mean that every second we’re here, the clock is ticking down to the next doomsday,” Five stares at Ben.  “And now the Commission knows we’re here too.” </p><p>“So we go home,” Allison says. Vanya looks towards the door anxiously, and Klaus squeezes her hand until she gives him a tentative smile.</p><p>Luther grimaces. “Easier said than done.”</p><p>Five starts pacing again. “That’s what I was trying to do today, while the rest of you were off almost destroying the world and bringing our siblings back to life. But it’s not that easy, and we’ve blown the last chance we had at getting a suitcase.” </p><p>There’s a moment of silence as they all stare at each other - suddenly uneasy. </p><p>“I don’t know what to do,” Five admits, turning back around to look at his siblings all sprawled together on the floor.</p><p>The silence continues, until finally Ben sits up and stares at Klaus - eyes wide.  “What - what about the commission agents?” </p><p>“Already coming after us,” Five mutters.</p><p>“No, no - “ Ben says, sitting up straighter. He side eyes Klaus, raising his eyebrows in 'Significant Look #3', which means he’s frustrated by the fact Klaus hasn't spontaneously developed mind-reading powers to understand every thought that pops into Ben's head without him needing to use complete sentences. Klaus rolls his eyes, immune, and Ben frowns before he continues with particular emphasis. “They have <i>briefcases</i>.”</p><p>It clicks. “Oh, shit,” Klaus says, sitting up straight and staring at Ben.</p><p>“Wait, really?” Luther says.</p><p>“How does a briefcase help?” Vanya asks, sharing a puzzled glance with Allison.</p><p>“It’s - " Klaus shakes his head, shocked. "It's how they time travel.”</p><p>“No, that's impossible,” Five says. “Commission agents keep their briefcases with them at all times.” </p><p>“Not always,” Ben says, his arm tightening around Klaus. </p><p>Klaus' stomach aches. He knows they’re thinking about the same thing - that awful motel room where Klaus almost died, where he was tortured for hours and detoxed and summoned ghosts for the first time in years and then managed to crawl out through the vent and stumble upon a strange briefcase and then - </p><p>A burst of blue light.</p><p>Ten months sweltering in the jungle of Vietnam - three years ago and five years from now. Sitting in a jeep across from the most beautiful man he’s ever laid eyes on and stuttering over his words. Crawling through the mud with his fellow soldiers and learning how to shoot a gun and set up camp and march until his legs and his whole body ached from it.</p><p>Hidden touches and soft kisses at the back of their tent when no one else was around. Legs curling together in a hotel bed while on leave. Planning a life together through whispered conversations and half-baked hope.</p><p>Dave.</p><p>“That’s against protocol!” Five continues - and Klaus comes back into his body with a jolt. Ben gives him a worried look. “No agent ever lets their briefcase out of their hand.”  </p><p>“You’re wrong,” Klaus says bluntly. “<i>You know</i> I got one before.”  </p><p>“Oh,” Five says, stopping in his tracks. “Vietnam.” </p><p>And all hell breaks loose.</p><p><br/>
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</p><p>No one quite knows what to say after Klaus’ explanation of exactly how he got a hold of a briefcase last time - and where he ended up. </p><p>"Vietnam," Diego repeats for the millionth time, glaring into the distance like he could travel back through time and change things with the force of his stare.</p><p>Klaus hums in agreement. He kind of thought he'd already told Diego while crying his eyes out in a bar for veterans and getting into a bar fight but maybe he wasn't specific enough. The whole week of the apocalypse is honestly a bit of a blur.</p><p>"You fought?" Luther asks again, stunned.</p><p>"For months?" Allison echoes. She looks like she's about to cry, and Vanya squeezes his hand, giving him a sad smile.</p><p>"Yep," Klaus says again, popping the 'p'.</p><p>"Ten months," Ben adds solemnly, and their siblings all look at him, pale and horrified. Klaus isn't sure what to say, but he's pretty sure telling them meeting Dave and fighting in the Vietnam war was better than anything back home <i>isn't</i> the right thing to say, so he keeps his mouth shut.</p><p>He can totally read a room when he wants too, see?</p><p>Then, just as the silence is about to get unbearably awkward  Ben’s stomach lets out a frankly embarrassing growl. Immediately, Ben laughs out loud in delight (that’s going to get old pretty quick), and the tension vanishes. </p><p>The sun is going down and one of them hasn’t eaten for <i>seventeen years</i> and the rest of them haven’t eaten since breakfast so - impending apocalypse or not - it might be time to scavenge some dinner from Elliot’s kitchen cupboards and tiny 60s fridge. </p><p>“Here you go!” Diego says handing out bowls of white goop to all of his siblings. “Ambrosia salad.” </p><p>“Diego, man,” Ben starts solemnly, poking at the marshmallows in his bowl with his spoon. They jiggle a bit. “I don’t know how to tell you this, but this isn't a salad.” </p><p>“That’s just what Elliot called it!” Diego protests. “And it’s all he had in his kitchen.”</p><p>“Why am I craving tacos again?” Klaus asks as he eats.</p><p>Ben shovels more of the dish into his mouth before making a face. “I - I don’t think I like sweet food.” </p><p>He takes another bite and looks at Klaus. “Did I always dislike sweet food?”</p><p>Klaus shrugs. Who does Ben think he is? His keeper? </p><p>He doesn’t remember what Ben used to eat as a teenager. It was probably just whatever was put in front of them, like the rest of them. None of them could really eat what they wanted until they left home. They had their childhood donut explorations, of course, but Klaus wasn’t paying attention to what any of his siblings were eating then. He was just focused on eating donuts.</p><p>Ben stares at his bowl in disappointment. “Oh man. I’ve been watching you eat waffles for seventeen years and now I’m not going to even enjoy them.” </p><p>“That <i>is</i> sad,” Klaus agrees, finishing off his bowl. He pats Ben on the shoulder in consolation before he steals his bowl. </p><p>“Hey!” Ben makes a wild grab to get the bowl back, but Klaus elbows him in the chest to keep him back.</p><p>“You just said you didn’t like it!” Klaus protests, stretching his arm behind Five’s chair to hold the stolen bowl as far away as possible from Ben. If this fight were happening yesterday, this is when he’d drop Ben’s corporeality and do a victory dance in his ghostly face. This ‘being alive’ shit was going to take some getting used to. </p><p>“There’s more right here gu -” Vanya tries to interject.</p><p>“I’m still <i>eating</i> it - “ Ben says before Luther interrupts.</p><p>“You liked sweet food,” Luther says, staring intently at his bowl. </p><p>Allison nods, reaching over the table to touch Ben’s arm. “I remember when we were nine or so - I - I caught you in the kitchen stealing a packet of oreos.” </p><p>“Oh,” Ben says, quiet and shocked. Klaus keeps his elbow right where it is in case Ben takes the opportunity to steal his bowl back. </p><p>“I gave you such a hard time,” Allison says, finally looking up at Ben. She looks like she’s about to cry. “I’m sorry.” </p><p>“Oh,” Ben says, smiling a bit. “That’s okay. I don’t remember.” </p><p>There’s a pause, and finally Ben concludes. “I guess I just don’t like marshmallow salad, then.” </p><p>“It’s called <i>ambrosia</i> salad, and you know it!” Diego says.</p><p>Klaus finally starts eating his second bowl. “I’m pretty sure there was fruit in the one Elliot gave us.” </p><p>“What? No there wasn’t," Diego says.</p><p>“Did you even eat it?” </p><p>“No, but - “ </p><p>“Ha!” Klaus says.</p><p>“You okay, Vanya?” Ben asks, looking at Vanya who is sitting on his other side.</p><p>“I - uh.” She looks a little unsure. “I’m okay.”</p><p>“I’m glad,” Ben says.</p><p>“I’m glad you’re okay,” she says.</p><p>“All thanks to you, I hear.” </p><p>“Yes!” Klaus interrupts. “Ben, tell Vanya what we were talking about before everyone interrupted.”</p><p>“Oh - uh.” </p><p>“Come oonnn,” Klaus groans. God, Ben and Vanya would never get anything done by themselves. Just stammer and make platitudes. </p><p>“What is it?” Vanya looks startled - and worried. “Are you okay? Did I do something?”</p><p>“No, no!” Ben rushes to say. “Klaus said you’d done it before - brought back the kid you look after.” </p><p>“What?” Five looks up in interest. </p><p>“Yeah,” Vanya says. “Harlan.”</p><p>“Did - did anything weird happen to him?”</p><p>Vanya pauses, face pale as she leans forward to look at Ben anxiously. “Weird how? What’s happened.”</p><p>Ben hesitates again at her expression. “I’m okay - ”</p><p>“Weird like new powers weird,” Klaus says bluntly and Ben flinches. </p><p>“Yeah, that.” </p><p>“New powers?” Five leans forward.</p><p>“Yeah, uh - ” Ben seems to resolve himself, closing his eyes and reaching out to move his hand at the glass of water in front of him. </p><p>His knuckles graze against it and it slowly wobbles before tipping over - water dripping over the wooden table.</p><p>Klaus cackles and Ben makes a gesture like he’s trying to elbow him in the side but Klaus doesn’t feel anything. He must have finally made part of his body incorporeal, just completely the wrong one! </p><p>“Impressive,” Five deadpans, leaning back in his chair.</p><p>Diego smirks. “I don’t know how to tell you this bro, but knocking over a glass isn’t a superpower.”</p><p>“Stop laughing asshole,” Ben glares at Klaus, before picking up the glass and trying again. "I'm still getting used to it!"</p><p>He stares at the glass intently, before closing his eyes and breathing in slowly. He moves his hand forward again and - </p><p>This time they watch as his hand goes through it - completely intangible.</p><p>“Oh,” Vanya says as Diego leans forward, "What the fuck?"</p><p>"Yeah," Ben agrees with Diego, smiling a little. "When I woke up I think I fell through the bed. It took a while to find - find my solidity I guess?"

</p><p>"That's incredible," Allison says.</p><p>"Huh." Five looks intrigued. "It's picked up on the powers you had as a ghost. And your tenants?"

</p><p>"Still there." Ben's arm automatically wraps around his stomach, and he looks down at them. When he speaks again his voice sounds unsure but almost hopeful. "Though I guess - I guess now I could stop them from hurting people?"</p><p>"When you learn how to control your new powers at least," Five agrees, nodding and leaning back in his chair again. "Interesting."

</p><p>“Did anything like this happen to Harlan?” Ben asks.</p><p>Vanya rubs her fingers together. “I - I’m not sure. Sissy said he was glowing golden as well so I asked them to come here. They’re on their way.”</p><p>They all look at each other.</p><p>“Then I guess we wait for them to arrive."</p><p>Klaus helps himself to some more salad and they settle in to wait.</p><p><br/>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Me: These plot things must happen this chapter to keep the story moving.</p><p>Also me: Naahh just write introspection and fluff.</p><p>This turned into a bit of a filler chapter but hopefully you still enjoyed! The chapter count might end up creeping up at this stage. As always come cry about the Hargreeves with me on my tumblr <a href="http://caedi.tumblr.com">@caedi</a>. </p><p>See you in a few weeks when I'm not drowning under boxes! Take care &lt;3</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I’m back! I'm settled in a new house and unpacked and now it’s capital-p 'Plot' time! After a little more bonding because I just can't help myself. I love making these kids communicate. </p><p>Thanks for your patience and hello to anyone who found this fic during my brief hiatus! &lt;3 This story is planned out and I'm updating weekly (usually saturdays, but sometimes it slips to sundays oops)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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</p><p>Ben smiles, leaning back against the couch and stretching his legs on the floor as he watches his siblings. </p><p>Everyone is arguing. It’s chaos in Elliot’s little second floor living quarters but Ben doesn’t care.</p><p>He missed them so much. </p><p>The sun has well and truly set in the sky. and Ben is content and satisfied in a way he hasn’t felt for <i>years</i>. In a way that just wasn’t possible as a ghost.</p><p>Diego is washing up the dishes - like he used to do when they were kids - but he’s waving suds and water around as he gets worked up and Luther is rolling his eyes and Vanya is staring out the window and Five is - well - Five is scribbling equations on the walls and furiously shutting down whatever nonsense Diego has just come up with.</p><p>Five really shouldn’t be writing on the walls. This is still Elliot’s place even if Elliot is dead, but Ben isn’t going to be the one to tell him off. He <i>just</i> came back to life today and he’s pretty keen to keep it that way.</p><p>And Klaus is - well. </p><p>Ben looks up at Klaus as he sits down on the floor next to him, somehow managing to elbow him three times as he settles himself. </p><p>“Bet you wish you could ghost away to your happy place right now, get away from all this - ” Klaus says, with a sweeping gesture to the kitchen. </p><p>Ben looks back to the kitchen just as Diego turns around, waving the scrub brush in the air with such velocity that bubbles float down to the floor after him.</p><p>“No,” Ben replies, smiling as he watches them. It’s almost like old times - but - but better because Dad isn’t here and the mission alarm can’t go off any second and force them into danger. All they need is Mom calmly drying dishes next to Diego and it could be the aftermath of any of their childhood dinners.  </p><p>“Sap.” Klaus elbows him again.</p><p>“Yeah,” Ben agrees, good naturedly. That’s not a dig that will get a rise out of him - maybe when he was a kid but not anymore. </p><p>Klaus rearranges his gangly legs again until his knee is touching Ben’s and Ben nudges back, giving him a pointed look. “Hey,” he says. “I’m here.” </p><p> “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Klaus says, but he doesn’t move his leg away. </p><p>Ben tries to catch his eye and give him another <i>look</i>. He wants to raise his eyebrow and smile and show his brother he understands - he’s not alone - but Klaus knows him too well and stubbornly looks in the opposite direction.</p><p>Ben nudges his knee again. “I get it. It’s weird for me too.” </p><p>That gets a reaction. </p><p>“Yeah?” Klaus looks up at him. </p><p>Ben nods. </p><p>“I’m just -” Klaus sighs out, looking away again. “It’s strange being ghost free.” </p><p>“It’s strange not being able to feel your powers anymore,” Ben agrees.  “When I first woke up I thought -”</p><p>Ben trails off, not sure how to finish the sentence. He looks back into the kitchen. Luther is trying to calm Five down - but Five just teleports closer to Diego and waves a very sharp looking pencil in his face. </p><p>“What?” Klaus asks. </p><p>“When I woke up and couldn’t feel you I thought - I thought I’d hurt you. I thought I’d become like the other ghosts and you’d had to banish me too.” </p><p>Ben lets the words sit for a moment and focuses on the strange feeling of breathing air into his lungs and watches their siblings dissolve into a slap fight in the kitchen and waits to hear what he did - what really happened between possessing Klaus and waking up alive and alone under the bed -</p><p>And then suddenly Ben is being pushed on the shoulder with such unexpected strength he ends up sprawled on the ground. </p><p>“Ow!” </p><p>“Dumbass,” Klaus glares down at him. </p><p>Ben sits up again, rubbing at his shoulder. “I think that’s going to bruise.” </p><p>“You don’t have a vengeful bone in your body. Idiot.” </p><p>“You didn’t like being possessed, though. I - I pushed -” </p><p>“And you lost your possession privileges!” Klaus points at him angrily. “That doesn’t mean you <i>hurt</i> me. You wouldn’t.” </p><p>“I didn’t mean to but - ” </p><p>“You once told me you forgave the people who <i>killed</i> you.”  </p><p>“They were scared!” </p><p>“They were criminals, with hostages!” Klaus waves his hands around, in the way he always does when he’s overwhelmed and frustrated trying to make his point. “Fighting literal children!”  </p><p>“What are you guys arguing about?” Allison asks, and Ben looks over to see all their siblings staring at them. </p><p>“Nothing,” Ben says and Klaus echoes him, crossing his arms and leaning back against the couch petulantly. </p><p>“If you say so,” Diego says, dubious. </p><p>“What were <i>you</i> arguing about, bubbles?” Klaus asks.</p><p>“Five here thinks he can - “ Diego starts, but is immediately interrupted by the man in question.</p><p>“It’s completely logical!” Five snarls, moving forward into Diego’s space. “You’d understand if you had even a basic understanding of thermodynamics.” </p><p>“Oh, big words for a dumb plan.” </p><p>“Come on guys, not again,” Allison says.</p><p>Ben nudges his knee against Klaus, raising an eyebrow. “Want to help me practice my new powers?”</p><p><br/>
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</p><p>A couple rounds of clapping later and Ben can tell Klaus is getting frustrated. </p><p>“This is just depressing,” Klaus says, leaning back with a groan. “Do you even need to practice?” </p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p>“I mean you picked it up pretty quick,” Klaus says. “It took me <i>months</i> to be able to make you real when we were doing this.” </p><p>Ben remembers. When they first arrived in the sixties Klaus had tried so hard to make him corporeal again but it had taken a lot of practice. Sitting every night in extravagant suites paid by Klaus' benefactors and trying desperately to feel anything - to recapture that feeling of helping his siblings and interacting with the world - and being disappointed every time. Sometimes Ben had been convinced he'd hallucinated it. </p><p>It had taken longer still for Klaus to be able to keep the other ghosts at bay. </p><p>This feels different to that though.</p><p>“I guess I know what it feels like to be a ghost,” Ben says softly, thinking back to when he’d first woken up and intangibility had been his default, despite being alive again. “It’s not something I’m in a hurry to experience again now that I’m alive again."</p><p>“Huh,” Klaus sits up. “That’s true. You’re a real boy again!  We need a game where you get your ghost on instead.” </p><p>“Or maybe I’m just awesome?” Ben says, clapping his hands together and raising them up for Klaus.</p><p>“Nah." Klaus waves his hands dismissively. Then a smile creeps across his face, teeth showing in a cheshire grin and eyes glinting with mischief. </p><p>Ben knows this look. Klaus has an idea and he isn’t going to like what comes next. </p><p>He’s right.</p><p>Klaus pounces on him, all limbs and knees and elbows flailing, and he pinches into Ben’s side where he <i>knows</i> Ben was most ticklish when he was alive - </p><p>Fuck. Ben starts giggling and trying to squirm away from his brother’s fingers.</p><p>Where Ben is most ticklish <i>now.</i></p><p>“Come on Benjo!” Klaus cackles. “You know how to stop it!”</p><p>“Mercy!” Ben yells in between laughs. </p><p>“Never!” </p><p>Ben kicks out his feet in an attempt to buck his brother off but it doesn’t work and he knows he should be able to use his new power - his <i>new power</i> - to make Klaus’ devil fingers slip right through his body but he’s laughing too hard to even concentrate and he hasn’t felt anything like this - happiness, joy, <i>ticklish</i> - since forever and it’s overwhelming and - </p><p>“You can do it!” Klaus says as he moves his hands under Ben’s armpits.</p><p>“I can’t - “ Ben manages to get out between laughs and he tries to close his eyes and focus but he can’t breathe through laughing - he needs to try to do something though and - </p><p>A strange feeling passes over him - almost like a shiver -</p><p>Klaus’ fingers stop moving. “Ben?”</p><p>“What?” Ben opens his eyes. The feeling is gone, almost as quickly as it came. “I think I almost had it!”</p><p>“Holy shit,” Klaus sits back, staring down at him with his mouth hanging open. “You - you disappeared for a second.”</p><p>“What?” </p><p>“You disappeared,” Klaus repeats. It doesn’t make any more sense the second time he says it. </p><p>“No way.”</p><p>“I’m serious!” Klaus says. “God, why don’t you ever believe me.”</p><p>Ben just raises an eyebrow.</p><p>“Okay, okay you’ve got plenty of reasons. I’m not kidding about this though.” </p><p>“I guess I did feel a little strange for a second,” Ben admits, scooting back from Klaus.</p><p>“Yeah, no kidding,” Klaus snorts. “Man, how are we going to practice that?”</p><p>“I can think of a few ways,” Ben says instinctively, remembering the green dress Klaus saw in the window of <i>Sally’s Sewing</i> in San Fran a few weeks ago. He couldn’t try it on so Ben had offered to go grab it (because screw the 1960s, right?) but Klaus had just walked away and he supposed scaring the owner half to death with a floating dress would have caused a few issues but - </p><p>It’s nice to know that option is still there for him and better yet, it’s a power he can control now. If he wants to go steal a dress for his brother while invisible he can and no one can stop him. </p><p>Once he learns how to hold it for more than a few seconds, of course.</p><p>Klaus looks at him fondly. “I’ve been a bad influence on you.”</p><p>Ben rolls his eyes, before looking back at the kitchen. None of them seem to be paying any notice, still completely embroiled in their own drama but - </p><p>Vanya is putting the phone back on its hook, chewing her nails like she used to when she was a nervous kid lost amongst her superhero siblings.</p><p>“Vanya?” Ben asks, standing up. “What’s wrong?”</p><p>“Oh,” Vanya says, giving Ben and Klaus a shaky smile as they walk over to her. “It’s nothing.”</p><p>“Aw, you can tell us sis!” Klaus says, draping an arm over her shoulder.</p><p>“It’s just Sissy. I - I think she should have been here by now.”</p><p>“Is it possible she couldn’t make it?” Ben asks. “Maybe she’ll come by tomorrow.”</p><p>“Maybe. But she’s not answering the phone,” Vanya says, staring at it and almost bracing herself. “It’s not like her.”</p><p>Ben looks over at Klaus, worried. </p><p>“We should go check on her then,” Klaus smiles.</p><p>Vanya gives Klaus a shaky smile, like some of the weight is lifted from her shoulders. Their other siblings finally come out of Elliot’s kitchen, more alarmed by the sudden quiet in the room than any argument and play-fighting that had been going on between Ben and Klaus before.  </p><p>“It’s important, right?” Ben says, and she nods. </p><p>“What’s important?” Allison asks, touching Vanya on the arm.</p><p>“It’s Sissy. She should be here by now.”</p><p>“Your girlfriend?” Diego asks.</p><p>“She’s - she’s not really - “ Vanya starts, before Luther interrupts her.</p><p>“Wait, this is the one with the kid that might help us figure out how you brought back Ben, right?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Vanya says. “Harlan.” </p><p>“Hm,” Five considers it. “We do need more information. It’s not like we’re doing much sitting around here.” </p><p>“I thought you had a plan,” Diego snarks, and Five waves his pencil at him again threateningly.</p><p>“Road trip!” Klaus yells in celebration, flinging an arm around Ben and Vanya’s shoulders. And that seems to confirm it - they’re all driving out to Vanya’s girlfriend’s farm.</p><p>“I’m sure they’ll be fine,” Ben says to Vanya, as their siblings burst into motion around them, grabbing coats and shoes and other items that might be useful for their late night excursion.</p><p>“I hope so," Vanya murmurs, still staring at the phone.</p><p><br/>
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</p><p>It’s a tight fit in the car - they have two more people than it’s meant to hold - but Diego and Luther squeeze in the trunk and Five drives because he knows the way and Allison sits in the passenger seat so Ben and Klaus can sit on either side of Vanya and make sure she’s okay.</p><p>Vanya isn’t okay. </p><p>The farm is dark and quiet and <i>cold</i> when they arrive - a thick layer of snow melting on the ground even though it’s still autumn and the weather has been pleasant and warm. It’s - strange. The leaves have barely started to change colour and yet here - barely forty minutes out of Dallas - it’s been <i>snowing</i>.</p><p>“Oh god,” Vanya breathes out, shaking. </p><p>There’s no way there should be snow on the ground. </p><p>The car slams to a stop and Vanya scrambles out - climbing over Klaus’ lap to get to the door. Klaus looks back at Ben in a panic before rushing after her.</p><p>“Sissy!” Vanya calls out, looking around desperately. She sees the barn - one of it’s doors half open and fallen off its hinges - and turns deathly pale. “Sissy!” </p><p>”Oh,” Luther says, having managed to crawl out through the trunk of the car. Behind him, Diego falls onto the driveway head first. Luther is staring straight at the barn. “It wasn’t like that a few days ago.” </p><p>”You’ve been here before?!” Klaus asks.</p><p>”Not the time, assholes!” Ben says.</p><p>“Vanya, wait!” Allison calls out after their sister. </p><p>There’s no sign of her.</p><p>”Shit,” Ben says under his breath and they <i>run</i> - 

</p><p>It’s too late.</p><p>By the time they make it to the barn, Vanya has collapsed with a cry next to an unconscious blonde woman and bright white power starts to swirl around her like a vortex, filling the barn with incredible power and -</p><p>Instinctively Ben drops to intangibility and her power rushes through him - unable to catch him - and he reaches for Klaus - he was running right next to Ben and he’s so <i>close</i> but his fingers slip straight through because of course they do - he can’t find purchase like this - </p><p>Vanya’s lost control for the second time in a day.</p><p>Ben can hear his siblings groaning in pain and trying to move against her power - straining against it - but it’s no use -</p><p>They’ve been here before.</p><p>”Vanya!” Ben focuses on his sister again and slowly walks towards her. He’s not even sure she can hear him through the sound of her own power rattling the barn. “Vanya, please!” </p><p>”Ben, no!” Klaus yells.</p><p>Ben remembers now.</p><p>Ben remembers making it to the FBI building with Klaus and Allison and Diego. He remembers Vanya had already lost control and even being in the building <i>hurt</i> - her power shaking his particles apart with bright white light. He remembers hoping that one of his siblings could help her.</p><p>He remembers Klaus falling back against the partition wall with a thud and knowing what he had to do. Looking back at Klaus and knowing that if he saved Vanya he wouldn’t be able to save himself. He remembers wanting to tell him all the things they’d never talked about and wondering how seventeen extra years still wasn’t enough <i>time</i> - but at the same time - </p><p>At the same time he’d been okay with it if it meant saving his sister. If it meant being useful again.</p><p>It doesn’t feel like that now.</p><p>Vanya’s power isn’t shaking him apart. It doesn’t feel like his particles are desperately trying to cling to the mirage that was his ghostly form. Because he isn’t a ghost anymore. He <i>belongs</i> on this plane and his intangibility - <i>his power</i> - holds steady against hers.</p><p>He doesn’t look back at Klaus.</p><p>He doesn’t need to.</p><p>Ben sits next to her and touches her shoulder. “Vanya?”</p><p>Vanya’s grasping Sissy’s hand desperately, tears streaming down her face.</p><p>Ben wraps one arm around her in a half-hug. “We’re here. You’re not alone.”</p><p>”Ben?” Vanya gasps. She looks up at him and something - something in the air settles.</p><p> “You’re okay,” Ben says, squeezing harder. He reaches forward and touches Sissy - golden and bright and - </p><p>And breathing. Ben laughs out loud in relief.</p><p>”She’s okay too, I promise,” He says, smiling into her hair.</p><p>”No,” Vanya cries harder, her entire body shaking against him with emotion. “I failed. I always -”</p><p>”No, Van - “

</p><p>And then - then blue eyes open. “Vanya?” Sissy asks weakly.</p><p>All the power drops from the air in an instant as Vanya gathers Sissy into her arms. “Sissy!” Vanya cries. “Oh, god. You’re okay.”</p><p>Sissy shakes her head into Vanya’s shoulder and Ben scoots back a bit to give them some space and finally looks back to where their siblings are getting to their feet and starting to run towards them.</p><p>Klaus punches Ben’s shoulder as soon as he’s in range. “You asshole.”</p><p>”Thank God,” Allison says, collapsing next to Ben and leaning into him. The others aren’t far behind.</p><p>They smile at each other in relief, before looking back to where Vanya and Sissy are clutching to each other desperately.</p><p>”Wait,” Vanya asks, voice shaky. She leans back to look at Sissy in horror. “What did you say?”</p><p>”They took him,” Sissy repeats, barely getting the words out through her tears. “They took Harlan.”</p><p><br/>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Dun dun dunn &gt;:)</p><p>Yeah it's not going to be that easy, unfortunately. As always, you can find me on tumblr <a href="http://caedi.tumblr.com">@caedi</a>!</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Uh. Hello! I'm super late. Sorry. We got out of hard lockdown and I spent the last few weeks unpacking and seeing other humans again (incredible!) and planting out my new veggie garden. Hoping to get back in the swing of things now, but with Christmas and New Year coming up it might be sporadic for a bit.</p><p>Writing fanfiction and being in this fandom honestly saved me during lockdown, so thanks to everyone who read my stuff over the past few months. You're the best &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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</p><p>They took Harlan. </p><p>For a second Vanya doesn’t do anything but stare in horror - her heart sinking to her stomach like a brick - the words echoing around her head. Sissy barely gets the sentence out before she breaks into sobs again, body heaving with the strength of them, and then all Vanya can do is clutch her girlfriend as tightly as she can.</p><p>She has no idea what to say or how to help. </p><p>There’s nothing.</p><p>All her life, she thought she knew what it was to be powerless - to be useless in the face of danger - and she - she had no idea.</p><p>Harlan.</p><p>They took Harlan.</p><p>Vanya looks helplessly at her siblings and they stare back at her in confusion and horror. </p><p>It doesn’t make sense. </p><p>They - they took Harlan.</p><p>“Who?” Vanya says into Sissy’s blond curls, trying to pull her even closer. “Why?” </p><p>Vanya’s stomach turns in on itself over and over again. All she can see is Harlan lying on the sandy embankment as she desperately tried to breathe air into his lungs and then hearing his voice echoing alongside Ben’s - sounding lost and terrified. <i>Wait. What’s happening? </i></p><p>And now he’s gone. </p><p>Sissy shakes her head. “I tried - I tried to come to you.” </p><p>“I know. I know you did -” </p><p>“But Carl - “ </p><p>“I shouldn’t have asked you to - I’m sorry,” Vanya says, and she feels her own tears start to fall down her cheeks as she tries to get the words out. “I’m so sorry, Sissy.” </p><p>Ben sitting on Elliot’s bed and screaming as the golden power - <i>her</i> power - consumed him inside and out. Vanya remembers being terrified and overwhelmed and sure she was going to watch him die again. She remembers hearing her siblings yelling in fear alongside Ben.</p><p>She tries to think back to the moment. </p><p>Had she heard a younger voice screaming with Ben? Had those golden lights hurt Harlan too?</p><p>She’d known when she’d called Sissy - after bringing Ben back and hearing Harlan’s voice alongside him - she’d known they were connected through her power. </p><p>This - this is her fault. </p><p>Sissy shakes her head, as if hearing her internal monologue, and pulls back. “No, no Vanya.” </p><p>“I’ll fix this, Sissy,” Vanya says. She squeezes Sissy’s hands tight, bringing them up between them, before looking at her siblings and seeing her own determination reflected back. “<i>We’ll</i> fix this.” </p><p>Sissy follows her eye line, as if just noticing the other people in the barn. “How?” She asks, uncertain. “No disrespect meant but these people - “ she looks back at Vanya. “They were something else. It was crazy. They just disappeared into thin air.” </p><p>Vanya’s stomach sinks like an anchor in the sea - it was what she suspected but it still feels awful to have it confirmed - anything would have been better than the Commission. </p><p>Five leans forward with an intense expression. “What did they look like?” </p><p>“It was an older lady and her daughter,” Sissy says, shivering a little at the memory. If she’s confused by a thirteen year old boy taking over the questioning, she doesn’t show it. “I tried to stop them but I - I got knocked away.” </p><p>“It likely saved your life.” </p><p>“That doesn’t matter,” Sissy says. “I just - I just need my boy back. Nothing else matters.” </p><p>“Do you remember anything else?”</p><p>Sissy shakes her head. “They were wearing red shoes? It’s the last thing I saw before - before they took him.” </p><p>“Lila,” Diego breathes out so quietly Vanya almost doesn’t catch it.</p><p>“And the Handler,” Five confirms.</p><p>Vanya just tries to hold onto Sissy and tries not to think about Harlan captured by the same people who have been hunting them since 2019 - who had worked so hard to bring about the apocalypse.  She doesn’t realise how quickly she’s breathing until she feels Ben’s hands rubbing rhythmically against her back - comforting repetitive circles - and she tries to calm down and does the same for Sissy. </p><p>Five sighs. “Looks like we have another stop to make before we can go home.”  </p><p>Vanya looks up at him, and he’s smiling a little wearily. “Thank you,” she says, barely a whisper.</p><p><br/>
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</p><p>The drive back home to Elliot’s passes much quicker than the anxiety filled race to the farm just an hour earlier. </p><p>It’s strange the way time works. </p><p>Sissy falls asleep against Vanya’s shoulder, exhausted from her fight against the Commission. Vanya plays with her hair and watches the streetlights pass out the window as they drive - and desperately tries not to think about what Harlan is going through.</p><p>They’re approaching familiar territory when she’s suddenly elbowed in the side by her boniest brother. </p><p>“Hey!” Vanya complains.</p><p>Klaus ignores her, leaning into the front seat and flailing his arm in an incomprehensible gesture at something in front of them. “Don’t slow down!” </p><p>“What are you talking about?” Five asks.</p><p>And then they see it. </p><p>Flashing police lights in the distance blocking off the main street - right where Elliot’s place is. </p><p>“Shit,” Vanya breathes out, trying to peer out the window without disturbing Sissy.</p><p>It looks like a massive operation - not just police but other vehicles too - even what looks like a helicopter hovering over where the police cars are lined up.</p><p>“Oh God,” Allison says.</p><p>“Darn it all to hell,” Five says, immediately slamming on the gas and screeching down a side street. </p><p>“Yeah, this isn’t suspicious at all,” Diego comments from where he and Luther are still squished in the trunk of the car,holding on tight to the back seats as the car lurches forward with a slight screech of the tyres. </p><p>Klaus laughs, looking back at their brothers and the police lights flashing behind them. “Holy shit!” </p><p>“Why is Five driving again?” Ben asks.</p><p>“Shut up!” Five snarls, turning at the next intersection so they’re driving away from Elliot’s place.</p><p>Vanya presses her nose into Sissy’s hair and tries to control her breathing - tries to focus on the smell of Sissy’s strawberry shampoo and not her bickering siblings and the fact that they’re driving away from the only safe place they’ve found together in the sixties. </p><p>Shit.</p><p>“No seriously, he has a point,” Klaus chimes in. “How the hell have we not been pulled over?” </p><p>“I’ve been driving longer than any of you have been alive!” </p><p>“Legally?” Ben asks.</p><p>“I don’t think we’re being followed,” Luther comments. </p><p>“A miracle, really - “ Klaus says and the bickering starts up again.</p><p>Sissy groans a bit, but thankfully doesn’t wake up at the commotion. Vanya pulls her closer with a hum - despite already sitting tangled together - and she nuzzles into her neck. </p><p>“It’s alright,” Vanya murmurs into her hair. “It’s gonna be okay.” </p><p>When Vanya looks up from Sissy, Ben is giving Klaus a look, eyes serious and eyebrows raised. “We should take the next right,” he says.</p><p>“No -” Klaus says, shaking his head just at Ben’s expression. “No, no way.”</p><p>“We left Keechie in charge and you know how he hates sitting still. They’ll be long gone.” </p><p>“Urghhhh.” Klaus seems to vehemently disagree.</p><p>“Do you see any other options?”</p><p>“Wait,” Allison says, turning back to look at them. “You’re talking about going to your cult?” </p><p>“No, we’re not!” Klaus protests, while Ben just says, “Yeah.”</p><p>“Would we be okay there?” Allison asks. “I have my place with Ray but I don’t want to put him in any danger.” </p><p>“I’ve been kicked out,” Luther says morosely from the trunk of the car, as if he really wishes they could all stay in his studio for the night. Vanya was there for a few minutes, and the two of them barely fit. </p><p>“We could always go back to my room at the mental hospital,” Diego offers unhelpfully.</p><p>Vanya can practically feel the weight of all of their gazes on Klaus, as he groans dramatically back against the car seat. “Maybe I don’t want to put the cult at risk!”   </p><p>“Klaus,” Ben says. “It’s the perfect spot to lay low. No one even knows it’s yours.”</p><p>“Wait, really?” Vanya asks. “Is that legal?” </p><p>“Eh, probably,” Klaus waves a hand at her while Ben says, “No.”   </p><p>“I don’t care where we go,” Five finally snaps. “As long as someone gives me directions!” </p><p>Ben leans forward and starts talking, completely immune to Klaus’ dramatic protests and groans from behind him.</p><p><br/>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Guys. there are so many loose ends to tie up in episode ten *shakes fist at it*  We're getting there! </p><p>I was really struggling with the flow of this chapter, so today I finally gave up and just split it into two. The next chapter will also be in Vanya's POV and should be posted soon as it's mostly written already :)</p><p>As always, you can find me on tumblr <a href="http://caedi.tumblr.com">@caedi</a>!</p>
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